Matthew Johns

  • Playing Career

Playing Career

Vital Statistics

Born
Tuesday, 27th July, 1971
Current Age
52 years and 236 days
Place Of Birth
Kurri Kurri, New South Wales, Australia

Known Family Links

Brother
Andrew Johns
Son
Jack Johns
Cooper Johns

Biography

Newcastle pivot formed a lethal partnership with younger brother Andrew at the Knights’ scrumbase. A tough, intelligent player Matthew Johns made his State of Origin debut as partner to his brother in the opening match of the 1995 series. In the absence of an injured Brad Fittler NSW lost the tryless match 2-0 and despite not being used in the remaining two matches Johns beat his talented younger brother to a Test jersey when chosen as a reserve for the final two Tests of the Trans Tasman series. On the World Cup trail at season’s end Matthew Johns played against Great Britain, South Africa and NZ but was a non-playing reserve in the final won by Australia. His next Test appearance was against Fiji during the 1996 season when Super League players were not considered for selection. Newcastle’s grand final win against Manly in 1997 provided Johns with his career highlight and he continued to be among the game’s most resilient competitors at club level. Johns played in two Tests in 1999 - against Great Britain in the Tri-Nations competition and as five-eighth in the 22-20 win over NZ in the final. One of Newcastle’s favourite sons, his forced departure from the club at the end of the 2000 season because of salary cap restrictions caused a public outcry in the ‘Steel City’ but he reluctantly went to England to see out his career. (Johns turned down the chance to play for Wales in the 2000 World Cup because he didn’t want to cheapen his career achievements). After leading English club Wigan in its Super League grand final loss to Bradford, Johns secured a release from the second year of his contract to return to Australia and spent the final season of his career with Cronulla. Johns retired because of a chronic neck injury at the end of 2002 and has since made his mark in the Sydney media with Channel 9.
- ALAN WHITICKER

Playing Career Statistics

All statistics shown in this section are based only on data available in the RLP database, and are not necessarily a complete and/or 100% accurate representation of a player's career. This information should be used as a guide only. If you see a question mark (?), it denotes that the figure is not available.

To view a list of corresponding matches, click on the List button.

Competitions

Competition   App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
NRL 198 30 0   9 129 109 82 7 55.05% List
NRL Finals 14 2 -   2 10 7 7 0 50.00% List
State of Origin 4 - -   - - 0 4 0 0.00% List
Test Series 2 - -   - - 2 0 0 100.00% List
World Cup 4 - -   - - 3 1 0 75.00% List
City vs Country 1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List
Tri-Nations 2 1 -   - 4 2 0 0 100.00% List
Tour Matches Australia 1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List
Challenge Cup 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
Super League 24 3 -   1 13 17 6 1 70.83% List


International

Test Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 1995-96, 1999 9 2 -   - 8 8 1 0 88.89% List

World Cup Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 1995 4 - -   - - 3 1 0 75.00% List


Representative

Australia - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
NSW 1995, 1998 4 - -   - - 0 4 0 0.00% List
NSW Country 1996 1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List
Overall1995-1998 5 0 0   0 - 1 4 0 20.00% List


Club Career

NRL/NSWRL - By Year

Team Season App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Newcastle NSWRL 1992 5 - -   - - 2 2 1 40.00% List
Newcastle NSWRL 1993 17 3 -   2 14 7 10 0 41.18% List
Newcastle NSWRL 1994 21 4 -   1 17 9 12 0 42.86% List
Newcastle ARL 1995 20 3 0 / 1 0.00% 4 16 12 8 0 60.00% List
Newcastle ARL 1996 22 4 -   - 16 10 10 2 45.45% List
Newcastle ARL 1997 21 2 -   1 9 14 6 1 66.67% List
Newcastle NRL 1998 23 2 -   - 8 15 7 1 65.22% List
Newcastle NRL 1999 25 4 -   1 17 14 10 1 56.00% List
Newcastle NRL 2000 23 - -   - - 13 9 1 56.52% List
Sharks NRL 2002 21 8 -   - 32 13 8 0 61.90% List

NRL/NSWRL - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Newcastle 1992-00 177 22 - / 1 0.00% 9 97 96 74 7 54.24% List
Sharks 2002 21 8 -   - 32 13 8 0 61.90% List
Overall1992-2002 198 30 0 / 1 0.00% 9 129 109 82 7 55.05% List

English Career - By Year

Team Season App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Wigan 2001 25 3 -   1 13 17 7 1 68.00% List

English Career - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Wigan 2001 25 3 -   1 13 17 7 1 68.00% List

Your Say

  • Rleaguefan
    21/09/2011

    A very good player in his own right, fantastic and a great halves and kicking coach.

  • Anonymous
    15/09/2021

    Overrated. Got a lot of games because of whose brother he happened to be.

  • Geoff
    27/04/2023

    Not as good as his brother Andrew, but good enough to share in a premiership and play for NSW and Australia

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Contributions: Rugby League Tables, Andrew Ferguson, Shawn Dollin, AJ Lucantonio, Alan Katzmann, Greg Fiveash, Paul Carter, Nick Jones, Max Turner, Bill Bates

Sources: ARL Rugby League Yearbook 1996, NRL Rugby League Yearbook 2000, ARL Rugby League Yearbook 1997, NRL Rugby League Yearbook 1999, NRL Rugby League Yearbook 2001, NRL Rugby League Yearbook 2003, NRL Rugby League Yearbook 1998, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1992-93, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1994, ARL Rugby League Yearbook 1995, Richard Bailey's Rugby League World